Football

Drew Wylie confident of staying in top flight despite defeats

Monaghan's Drew Wylie trying to curtail Mayo forward Evan Regan
Monaghan's Drew Wylie trying to curtail Mayo forward Evan Regan Monaghan's Drew Wylie trying to curtail Mayo forward Evan Regan

MONAGHAN defender Drew Wylie remains defiant about the Farney men’s chances of staying in the top flight, despite suffering back-to-back defeats to Dublin and Mayo.

Malachy O’Rourke’s men find themselves with the same number of points - four - as at this stage of last season’s league campaign and managed to preserve their Division One status.

Even though Wylie expects Monaghan to get enough points on the board in their three remaining games against Cork (a), Kerry (h) and Donegal (h), he insists they can’t be as loose in possession as they were against Mayo last weekend.

O’Rourke watched his side get turned over 18 times in the first-half against the Connacht men: “You can’t afford to give possession away like we did, especially at this level,” said Wylie.

“It’s something we have to work on in training this week. You have to remember Mayo are a top team; they’re in the top three teams for the last number of years. Those forwards have been round the block enough, their movement was good and they punished us when we gave the ball away. And that’s what top teams do to you.”

The Ballybay man added: “It was very intense game to play in. There were times that it felt like Championship pace. Mayo came for a win and they got it.

“They came out all guns blazing, even when they lost a couple of key men - Aidan O’Shea and Lee Keegan to black cards - they lifted their game. But it’s disappointing from our point of view.”

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Monaghan were lauded for their gutsy display against Dublin a week earlier, but they still came away from Croke Park empty-handed: “It’s been reasonably good, but we’ve now lost our last two matches. Getting performances is all well and good, but we’re not winning games.”

After a bright opening, Mayo managed to hold their hosts scoreless from the 22nd minute onwards, while Conor McManus (six frees) and Rory Beggan (one free) were the only Monaghan players to split the visitors’ posts in the second-half.

O’Rourke has blooded a few new players this term, with Daniel McKenna, Conor McCarthy and Barry McGinn being given some game-time, while Shane Carey and Thomas Kerr continue to improve.

“It’s hard place to learn,” said Wylie, “but that’s the thing about Division One - you learn the hard way.

“We suffered a narrow defeat to Dublin last week and we had a couple of chances to get over the line but, like Mayo, Dublin punished us as well. It’s good to see a few young players coming into the team - Conor McCathy, Barry McGinn and they’re pushing themselves in training and, if they’re doing that, Malachy will give them a chance.”

Asked would Monaghan get enough points to stay in the top division, Wylie replied: “Definitely. We still have another three games left and Cork is our main focus now.”

Dessie Mone and Kieran Hughes, both of whom missed the two-point defeat to Mayo last weekend due to injury, are nearing full fitness for Monaghan, while Vinny Corey and Gavin Doogan are also on the sidelines.